Lip actuation of dummies by electrical signals



June 16, 1959 c. c. KENWORTHY 2,890,535l

LIP ACTUATION OF DUMMIES BY ELECTRICAL SIGNALS Filed May 2,L 1955 5sheets-smeet 1 4, c, naa/2 Bibi/KW i June 16., 1959 Filed May 2, 1955@MPU/VEZ c. c. KENWQRTHY 2,890,535

LIP ACTUTION OF' DUMMIES BY ELECTRICAL SIGNALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENToR. cfr/,422055 c. Kawa/aen# s sheets-sheet s C. C. KEN WORTHY LIPACTUATION OF DUMMIES BY vI:`.LEC'IRICAI'.. S-IGNALS June 16, 1959 FiledMay 2, 1955 .m .QQ

' are Paitented June 16, 1959 tice LIP ACTUATION F DUMIMIES BYELECTRICAL SIGNALS Charles C. Kenworthy, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,354

1 Claim. (Cl. 402S.3)

This invention relates to the actuation of the Ilip or lips of dolls,dummies, puppets, and the like, in synchronism with signals, such asvoice or music, which have been translated into electrical currents.

The use of a solenoid which is energized with actuating currents to movean armature connected to the lips of a doll or dummy, together with arelay interposed between the current source and the solenoid is wellknown. United States Patents Nos. 2,247,329 and 2,270,142, show suchsystems, while United States Patent No. 2,700,250, shows a somewhatdiierent construction for the same purpose. These systems are alldirected to certain types of electrical circuits and mechanisms forcontrolling a single puppet.

The present invention is directed to a system which permits a soundrecord on a photographic or magnetic lm to control one or more dummies,selecting the proper dummy and accurately moving its lip or lips insynchronism with the recorded dialogue or music. Any one or more of anumber of dummies may be controlled simultaneously, the sound film ortrack itself doing the selecting. Also, a circuit is provided which notonly obtains syllabilization of words but stabilization of operation atall times.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate theactuation of the lips of dummies to vsimulate speech or music.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of andsystem for the synchronization between currents representing voicesignals and the lips of a dummy.

A lfurther object of the invention is to provide an improved system ofcontrolling the selection of one or more dummies from a group of dummiesand actuating the lips of the selected dummy or dummies from a singlesound track.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of thisinvention, both as to the manner of its organization and the mcde of itsoperation, will be better understood from the following description,when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic drawing of one system embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic drawing of another system embodying theinvention; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic drawing of a third modification of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein the same numerals identify thesame elements, and particularly to Fig. l, a dolly, dummy, or puppethead 5 is shown having a movable lower lip or jaw 6 pivoted at 7 andconnected to a rod or wire 8 at 9. The rod 8 is connected to an armature12 of a solenoid 13, energization of the solenoid moving the lip 6 insynchronism with voice currents. Energy is impressed on the solenoid 13over conductor 15, conductor 16, thyratron tube 17, conductor 18,swinger 19, and conductor 20. The thyratron 17 is connected to an A.C.power source over transformer 22 which energizes its lament 25 and anode23 over condenser 24.

The input to the Athyratron is over a matching transformer 26, amplitudeadjusting resistor 27, condenser 28, and rectier 29, the latterimproving operation by stabilizing the circuit. The primary oftransformer 26 is connected to the output of an amplifier 31 acrosswhich is bridged a speaker 32 in which the Voice currents are translatedinto sound waves. The input of amplifier 31 is connected to aphotoelectric cell 33 or to a magnetic reproduce head 34. This permits asound track 36 on a perforated iilm 37 to be either photographic ormagnetic. If the track is photographic, an exciter lamp 38 `is used withcell 33. The hlm 37 is notched along one edge, adjacent which is amicroswitch 40 having a roller 41 adapted to be moved into and out ofthe notches to make and break an electrical contact in series with aD.C. power supply and a coil 42 of a relay 43.

In addition to the puppet head 5, two other heads are illustrated solelyby their lower lips 45 and 46 and their actuating solenoids 47 and 48,respectively. Lips 45 and 46 are actuated when the thyratron 17 -isconnected to solenoids 47 ,and 48 over respective conductors 49 and 51when the swinger 19 is connected thereto. This system permits theautomatic selection of the puppet to be actuated and actuates theselected puppet as now will be described.

The sound track 36 -has three different voices recorded .thereon and atthe beginning and end of each voice sequence, :the lm is notched witheither one or two notches. One notch will move the swinger 19 a distanceof one contact, and two notches will move the swinger a distance of twocontacts. Thus, the thyratron 17 can be switched to any one head as thesound track is being reproduced by speaker 32 and the lip of the head ismoved according to the voice currents as rectified and triggered byrectier 29 and thyratron 17, respectively. If desired, the swinger 19may be manually manipulated yto select any head to be activated.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the same thyratron 17 with its transformers 22and 26 are shown along with loud speaker 32, amplifier 31, photocell 33,and exciter lamp 38. It is to be understood that the photographic soundtrack 53 on lm 54 could also be magnetic as in Fig. 1. Three heads arerepresented by the lips or jaws 6, 4S, and 46, and solenoids at 13, 47,and 43, respectively, as in Fig. l. In this modification, a relay 56with its coil 57 is used to control the connection of solenoid 13 to'thyratron 17, a relay 58 with its coil 59 is used to control theconnection of the thyratron 17 to solenoid 47 and relay 61 with itsIcoil 62 is used to connect the thyratron 17 `to solenoid 4S. The relays56, 58, and 61 close switches 64, 65, and 66, respectively, whenmomentarily energized and open them when next momentarily energized.

The energy pulse for the relays may be obtained in several suitableways, the one shown in Fig. 2 being lamps 68, 69, and 70, the light fromwhich is reilected by light reflective paint or patches such as shown at71, 72, '73, and '74, to respective photocells 76, 77, and '78. Thepulses are amplified in respective amplifiers 79, 81, and 82. To selecta head to be actuated, a patch is placed at the beginning of a soundsequence for that head at a certain transverse position on ilm S4 toactuate the relay and close its switch controlling that head. At the endof the sound sequence for that head, another patch is placed at the sametransverse position on the lm, this patch disconnecting the head fromIthe thyratron by opening the switch. Since each set of lamps and cellsare effective for patches at different positions transversely of lilm54, each of switches 64, 65, and 66 are independently controlled.Furthermore, this modification lends itself to permitting any one ormore of the lips to be actuated simultaneously since all switches may beclosed over the same period of 'time the sound is being reproduced at32. Thus, group singing of the heads may be simulated.

Referring now to Fig. 3, again the lthyratron and speaker circuits arethe same as in Figs. 1 and 2. vAlso, the same heads and solenoids areshown. In this system, all selection controls are embodied in the soundtrack S5 of a narrow hlm S6 which could be an 8 mm. photographic film ora 1A inch magnetic non-perforated tape. As shown, the lrn isphotographic with. its exciter lamp 88 and photocell S9 connected to anamplifier 91 which feeds a high-pass lter'92 connected to speaker 32 andtransformer 26 and to a low-pass lter 93. The output of lter93 isconnected to relays 95, 96, and 97, each of which is tuned by theinductance of its winding and respective shunting condensers 99, 101,and 102, to a different acceptance frequency. The relays may be themomentary 'type'as shown in Fig. 2 or of the simple holding type wherebyto maintain their respective contacts 104, 105, and 106 closed, they areenergized with a constant tone.

This modification functions by the use of three control tones such as30, 40, and 50 c.p.s., each tone energizing a respective relay 95, 96,and 97. That is, a tone is recorded at the beginning and end of asequence, this tone passing filter 93 but not filter 92 to close one ofthe contacts 104, 105, or 106, provided the relays areof the momentarytype. If not of this type, the tone may be only at the beginning of asequenceV and maintained throughout the sequence .to hold the desiredcontact closed. This system also permits `one or more lips of vone -ormore heads to be actuated from a narrow n`ln1 not suitable to carryreective light patches or to be notched.

The above system, therefore, permits manual .or automatic selection ofone or more heads from among several and to thus provide dialogue andgroup voices as Idesired for dolls, dummies, puppets or animals.Furthermore, although only three heads have been vused for illustra- 4tion, it is to be understood that any number of heads can be added andcontrolled in the same manner. Furthermore, the actuating of the lipsmay be through the manipulative strings or wires of a puppet. Theparticular rectier-thyratron circuit illustrated is especially effectiveto permit perfect syllabilization of words from voice signals. Althoughthe invention has been illustrated in connection with lm sound recordsof the photographic and magnetic types, it is to be understood thatother types of signal sources may be used, such as phonograph records ofthe disc type or microphones.

I claim:

In a system for 4actuating the lips of one or more of a plurality ofdnmrnes one at a time or in any combination the improvement comprisingmeans for generating electric signal currents representing the voices ofsaid dummies transducer means for reproducing said signal currents assound waves, an individual solenoid for the movable lip of .each dummy,other means responsive to said signal generating means for energizingsaid solenoids, selecting means including a lter associated with saidsignal `generating means for selecting the solenoid or Ysolenoids to beoperated, said selecting means also including frequency responsive relaymeans and switch `means connecting the solenoid or solenoids to saidother -means, said other means including a thyratron and a seriesconnected rectifier combination to provide stabilization andvsyllabilization of the lip or lips of said dummies in accordance withthe amplitude of said signal currents and the connection made by saidselecting means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,096,020 Adair Oct. 19, 1937 2,152,296 Weis et al. Mar. 28, 19392,213,512 Bailer Sept. 3, 1940 2,247,329 Deitz June 24, 1941 2,250,916Magruder July 29, 1941 2,270,142 Robinson et al lan. 13, 1942 2,603,912Gruber July 22, 1952 2,704,417 Evans Mar. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS420,361 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1934

